Packing

Have I mentioned that I hate packing with a true, deep, burning passion? I get so distracted, and if I'm not distracted, I find a way to distract myself. Take today, I intended to pack, because Brad was exhausted so we had decided to just get things done around the apartment while he slept. Instead, I decided to sleep later than necessary, eat a bowl of cereal, go through the mail and organize it, find one bin to organize, lay back down to take a nap with Brad, go to Chili's for dinner with my small group, and back here to blog. This means, I have a TON to do before I go to bed tonight and work tomorrow night.

So here we are...blogging away about hating to pack..and still not packing. Procrastination...I am the queen. Oh well though, it will get done..because we're moving this weekend!!! :) That's right, we, the Allison's..should be in our actual HOME by Sunday night at latest. Even if everything doesn't happen to be in the house...we will be sleeping there and I don't care what it takes to get that accomplished.

In other news...we've had a week of accomplishments at the house. The yard is mowed and trimmed. We have a desk...thank you Lance and Lauren! (Special thanks to both of you and Aaron and Shauna for helping us relocate that desk on Sunday). The desk is so huge! We love it though...we're pumped to decorate the office, our desk is the second piece of furniture that has made it's way into the house. Tomorrow our TV is supposed to arrive. Poor Brad has waited while all our friends and his coworkers ordered TVs over the past year, and he's been patient in waiting until we had our house first. So the time finally came, and he got to order the TV. We're pretty excited.

We got pumped because we thought the couch was in, but I called Haverty's and unfortunately it won't be in until May 29th...to be delivered on the 30th. That will be a busy couple of days. Couch, Katie/Evan wedding, home, Lauri's graduation party, Rox/Jake wedding then back to Austin to enjoy the couch.

The living room is completely painted, and guest room #1 (nursery eventually) is halfway painted. Obviously not nursery colors yet..but sometime while we live in this house hopefully.
It's a lot lighter looking now that it is dry, I'll have to take a picture when we head to the house today. Our washer and dryer arrived, and Brad tried them out the other day. He told me we have the quietest washer EVER. Finally, the best news!!! The carpet is CLEAN! We had the carpets cleaned on Friday and they really did a great job. We're so excited, the house is finally move in ready. We have some more work to do...the walls need to be wiped down more, and some could still stand to be painted. Yay! That's all there is to it! Yay! We're so excited!

Other than house news...life has been great but busy. I have heard stirrings that there could possibly be positions open on days in the CCU, and I believe I may see if that's a position I could take over when I switch to CCU this summer. Brad also may be able to go to days in the next 6 months or so. It would be SO good to have a normal schedule, one where we got to go to sleep at the same time, and eat dinner together, and enjoy some normal social schedule. If not though, all will be well. It's been alright so far, and we both really enjoy the people we work with.

Alright..now I need to get something done..I'm sorry for the boring post. More excitement next time I promise. Maybe some jokes. More pictures..hopefully I can take some tomorrow. Hope you all have a fantastic week!

Update for Sarah

Alright, so I have been tagged two times in about a month, and I decided it was time to respond. Sarah asked for updates...but I’m out of pictures...so here is my update! Here you go sister.

What was I doing 10 years ago?
Oh goodness…I was 13 so I would have been in 7^th grade getting ready for the summer and some sweet Twister softball!

5 things on my to do list:
1. Get packed so we can move into our house for real
2. Order our wedding photos
3. Book tickets home for Rox and Jake’s wedding
4. Email friends from college that I have been so terrible at keeping in touch with
5. Get the carpets at the house cleaned

5 snacks I enjoy: Goodness gracious how do I pick just 5?
1. MANGO
2. Colby-jack cracker cuts and wheat thins
3. Sonic Cherry-Limeades
4. Cinna-sticks from Papa John’s
5. Frozen grapes

5 things I would do if I were a Billionare:
1. I think it would be neat to open a clinic, to help those who don’t have insurance. I know these already exist…but I’d like to have one that would meet more than just the physical needs.
2. Adopt a special needs child
3. Take family trips with ALL our family
4. Save money for college education for the children (good idea sister Sarah)
5. Give the rest away

5 bad habits:
1. Not sharing my feelings…and then letting them all pour out at once to Brad…he just LOVES that trait
2. Picking my thumbs to bleeding when I’m nervous or very focused
3. Keeping in touch
4. Doubting the gifts Lord has given me
5. Hitting curbs, leaving laundry in the washer, setting 5 alarms so I don’t hit snooze

5 places I have lived:
1. Lafayette, IN – Nothing like it
2. Olivet Nazarene Univeristy
3. The Enclave – our apartment
4. The new house!! We haven’t lived there yet…but soon, so soon.
5. And I’m out…

5 jobs I've had:
1. Arni’s Pizza at Shadeland…DELICIOUS
2. Summer softball umpire and coach
3. Roly Poly Sandwiches
4. St. Elizabeth Medical Center – This was my absolute favorite job
5. Heart Hospital of Austin

I want to know more about (a nice way to say "you're tagged")
1. Laura D.
2. Rox
3. Rachel G.
4. Courtney G.
5. Jess S.
6. LUKE! This is my way of saying get your act in gear and update your blog. Now.

I'm 'It' and I was tagged by my dear friend Courtney G.

Here are my ten!

1. I pretty much think that being a nurse is exactly where I was called to be.

2. I have never been out of the country.

3. I think cream cheese is the solution to every food item possible. Mango, cream cheese and chicken quesadillas, Bagels, cream cheese, tomato, and bacon. Spoonfuls of cream cheese…that’s pretty much all there is to it. Truth be told…I feel the same way about bacon.

4. I have the worst voice ever, and I don’t even care. I will sing just as loud as the pretty voices.

5. I absolutely hate packing to move, and yet I have done so at least 8 times since the summer before my junior year of college.

6. I used to hate the beach…but now I’m addicted and can’t get enough.

7. I am obsessed with reading for pleasure, and read two books on our honeymoon…how cool are we?

8. I have the craziest dreams and I always remember them. I tell Brad and try as he might, he just doesn’t get it. It’s a nightly thing…last night I flew from Austin to Dallas to somewhere else with Blair and Brad...but we ended up flying over Las Vegas and I thought the lights were pretty but I felt bad for being there. I have no clue where it came from.

9. I love a challenge. I have constant competitions with myself in my brain…or with Brad. I usually lose…but I love it. I like the challenge of meeting new people, being in an unfamiliar and uncomfortable place, making myself reach out when I’m scared I like it, throwing the ball faster than Brad, being right about directions, lifting more than I should...all those kind of things.

10. I absolutely HATE working out. I get distracted and all ADD and I talk too much. I would rather play some soccer, softball, or ultimate frisbee than go to a gym. However, loving challenges like I do, I am determined make myself run with Brad now that we are moving to our house.

Sarah, I promise I'll take pictures tomorrow. PROMISE.

P.S. Someone didn't call tonight sister.

Ok, FINALLY the blog is allowing me to post pictures. Woohoo! Here are about the last month of pictures from the house, and Brad's parents visit. We'll start with the visit...then on to the house! :) So here goes....

On Saturday night, I thankfully was given on call at work instead of having to go in to work, so we were both able to spend time with Brad's parents. After waking up in the afternoon, I joined Brad, his parents, and Shauna and Aaron over at the house. Brad's parents were weeding for us, and Shauna and Aaron were sweetly helping Brad prime the rooms. So thankful for them!

After we finished at the house, we headed to Gumbo's with Brad's parents. Can I describe how much we LOVE Gumbo's? If you recall, in a WAY early post on my dear blog I described a FANTASTIC meal from Gumbo's. Well, they did it again. Brad's dad and I both had the chef's special...steak of course. Steak with 3 shrimp that were with cilantro , in this tomato sauce with these delicious mashed potatoes. Brad had pork tenderloin, and Brad's mom had pasta with chicken. The portions are perfect...I even finished the entire meal. Delicious. You just come on down to Austin, and we'll take you to visit our favorite place! Pictures...On Sunday we cleaned like maniacs. Brad's mom helped me get the cabinets cleaned out, and Brad's dad mowed the lawn for us. (This could have been Monday too, it was a busy couple of days.) As you see, I had to do some acrobatic moves to get a specific cabinet cleaned out...I really struggled with my gag reflex when I opened this cabinet...see below.

Post scrubbing....how sweet is that!!

Sorry for the blur...Rosemary kicking the cabinet's caboose. We had tuckered Carl out, taking a breather from mowing the lawn I believe.

My painting maniac husband. Also on Sunday, after church we headed over to THE place...Hula Hut...YUMMMMM! It was an absolutely gorgeous weekend of weather too!
Monday night, our softball team had a game, and Brad and I were both playing so the four of us headed down south for the game. We won...no thanks to me. I played pretty much my worst game of the year. Two fielding errors..pathetic. Brad kicked butt, and my teammate announced it was good that I brought Brad to cover for me. :) The other team cracked up. No offense was taken, as it was all in good fun and I really was TERRIBLE that day.
Overall, we had a fantastic visit. Carl and Rosemary were our first family visitors to see our new home! We love having family time, we miss that down here.

Now on to the house pictures...this picture below...we had just closed on our house. Yay!

Alright, so a sort of picture tour, although I apparently skipped that whole area on the left in the picture. That area is the "formal living/dining area." I'm not sure what we'll do with that yet. Straight ahead...the front door. On the right is our office. Office...very front of the house.
Guest bathroom ,we like the accessories they have hung in here, and we're leaving it brown, as it matches our bathroom set that we have. I really like the mirrors.

This is the living/dining area we'll use the most. Pre paint/prime. Kitchen...empty. We're deciding if we need to paint or not...but currently we're undecided so it shall be staying this color. We like the color..so we'll probably keep it for awhile. We'll need a backsplash however, as there is a white patch behind the stove, and some stains I can't get off the wall.
The fridge we love. Not in the best shape when we moved in...spotless now..these are for you Mom. You have to see how clean I've turned out to be...
Every time I finished I made Brad stop painting and come look at my accomplishment...I actually had the bottom drawer out of the freezer and was sitting in between the slide out door and the actual freezer. Our cabinets that are starting to fill up. Coincidentally, the whole 5'1" of my frame does not allow me to reach higher than the 2nd shelf without a step stool, so I am attempting to put all the important things on the lower levels. Haha...the life of a short family.
These are the wires to the speaker system they have installed in the house...we have absolutely no idea what to do with these yet...hopefully we'll figure that out. It's there though, so that's a nice bonus.
Painting man...getting rid of the pink room.Check that out...Our bathroom, clearly not decorated yet. Our bedroom...storage for the Mullin's ladder.
Painting the living room...we have gone through sample after sample and we finally landed on this color..which we love.


Prior to paint...our primed WHITE wall. We just finished last night...we will have more pictures soon. The backyard. We love the trees behind the yard...we also have a rock quarry back there..and Brad says he has heard it twice. Kinda bummed about that..but we still love the house.
We bought some hedge clippers last week. We have many things to do to the landscaping...but the bushes look much better now! This was post hedge trimming to the bushes on the right front of the house. These are the out of control bushes in the front of the house...Post trimming...so much better!Garage..not usable for two cars yet...but soon. And...so that is our house. We love it! Sorry not much explanation yet..we have errands to run. But soon, so soon.

Had a fantastic weekend. Katie G's shower was this weekend, we met some wonderful ladies, and the shower was so fun! I almost overslept...by almost I actually did after working on Friday night. Sweet Katie didn't mind, and thankfully Shauna called and I woke up and made it prior to games and gifts. Can't wait for Katie and Evan's wedding! After the shower, we ladies headed down to the Family Reunion baptism service at church to meet the guys. Amy, Shauna, and I got a smidgen lost...but we had a great time doing so. We caught the tail end of the baptisms. There is something so amazing about watching someone get baptized...tears every time for me.
Saturday night, Brad was super excited abut the UFC fight so he went Adam and Blair's, while Blair joined Shauna and I up north for some TBS movies. LOVED it! Would have been doing the exact same thing if I had been at home, but I had people to talk to. :) Apparently Brad's favorite won too.

Yesterday, we finished up the living room. We had a great day! I finished a little more organizing and we met some more neighbors.

Alright...hope you all have a fantastic week!

Crazy Life...

So, we closed and we're SLOWLY but surely getting into our new home. We've finally finished some of the painting and we have started to get thing put away, beginning in the kitchen. (By started, I definitely mean we have exposed the tip of the iceberg only.) I promise a longer update on Saturday or Sunday when I'm not working. Brad's parents were here too this weekend, and I'll get those pictures up soon also. Have to be at work soon though, but here are a few.

...I lied. Blogger won't let me add pictures at this time, and I'm not quite awake for work..so updates will come at a later date.

Hope you have had a fantastic week!!

April 7, 2005

Good gracious, three posts in a day...AGAIN. However, I just now realized that today was April 7th. Three years ago today, a good friend passed away, and I try to remember her every year on this day. This year, it will be on here. The Lord used her death, and that horrible tragic time to help mold me into who I am today, and for that I am forever grateful.

During my freshman year at Olivet, I began feeling a tug from God to be an RA, and man did I fight it. I didn't want to be an RA, I just wanted to do school and friends and leave it at that. However, I made an agreement with God (apparently I thought I had that kind of clout) that I would do my best in every step of the process, but I did NOT want to be an RA and hoped He would understand. However, He had different plans, thankfully, and an RA I became. There are so many stories of His hand in that situation, amazing ways He showed that He was in control, but I'll not go into all those tonight. Regardless, sophomore year was the year I grew the most in my relationship with Christ, and I know and believe it has everything to do with being an RA.

My team: Amazing.
My girls: Amazing.
My RD: Amazing.
Period.

From the day I received the list of names of the girls on my floor, my life began changing. I began praying for those girls, and for the year we would have. I started planning and getting excited. I was pumped about my RA team...they all seemed great and I couldn't wait to get started.

A couple pictures...

Initiation. We had to wear these outfits around campus for a day, and then spell out Hollandsworth (our RD's last name) while doing jumping jacks if we ever ran into a current Williams RA. It was actually fun...here we are in all our glory.

This was move in day...we were ready to move those ladies in!My floor of girls!
So, the year began, and we 8 ladies, along with Donna, our director, started bonding. We had weekly meetings where we would talk about the past week, our struggles, our prayers, our praises. Amazing stories of our girls, tough situations with our girls. Everything. It was a time that I craved each week. My RA team was full of women who LOVED the Lord; I admired their faith. I think their examples helped me to stop sitting in a rut of selfishness and get active in my relationship with Jesus again.

Heather Wagoner, was one of those who I admired so much. I have never met a girl like Heather. She had a way to make us laugh...ALL THE TIME! She was so in tune with where God was leading her, and she followed Him without fail. I could not spend a day with Heather, and not leave without a smile. Heather and I were actually on the same floor freshman year, so I knew she LOVED Tim McGraw, she was crazy, and she had thumbs like me. You better believe I LOVED that. Sophomore year it only got better. She had one of the biggest floor of girls in the dorm, and they absolutely loved her, I mean loved. As the year ended, I was excited because we had really started to get close. Not just Heather and I, but all the girls, but I had started spending more time with her.

Our thumbs.
Explanation: Sometime in March of that year, we decided to write a rap of appreciation for Tom, one of the top guys in charge of the RA's on campus. He was pretty awesome, and I can't remember why we had written the rap, but we went to his office and performed. This was Heather on our way over to the office; this pretty much sums up who this girl was.
Right before the accident, she had decided to be an RA for an additional year, and was the only teammate who was returning to the dorm. I had to sit desk the night the new team was meeting for the first time, and after it Heather was off the wall hyper, and pumped about the new team. She came and sat desk with me, and we decided we would assign all the new floors. We had a whole plan. It was great.

Valentine's Day...spent with Court and Heather!
Anways...on April 1, 2005 there was an accident involving 4 girls from Olivet, three of which I was close to. Heather and Karen were RA's with me, Hannah was my freshmen RA, and Rachel was an overall sweet girl. Heather, Karen, and Rachel, were all treated and released that evening from the hospital, but Heather had to be taken to a different hospital and was in intensive care. We prayed for a week as a dorm, as a team, as individual's, and as a campus. We held a prayer vigil, we made pins that said pray for Heather. We all hoped. On April 7th, though, we got news that she passed away. It was pretty awful.

Yet, after her death, and even in that week up to her death, God began to work in our hearts and move in ways I can't describe. Girls that Heather had prayed for began to spend time together, bonds that she prayed would form, did exactly that. It was amazing. I can only truly talk about what happened in my life, but I can tell you that He worked that terrible event into a miracle. As for me, I learned to lean on God more than I ever could. I learned that no matter what happens on this earth, He is in control, and I will never have to live a day without His hand on my life. I learned that everything I do on this Earth serves an eternal purpose. I needed to stop being selfish, and to stop being someone who claimed faith but didn't live it like I should. I needed to START talking about Jesus, and showing other's the love of Christ. He has been guiding ever step I have taken since the day I was born, and I took that for granted I think. I was able to pray out loud for the first time in my life. As much as I hate that it took Heather passing away for me to get my heart right, I am thankful for the life she lived and the example she was. I know I'm not the only one who's life was changed.

If I could just do one more little statement. I truly pray that you know the Lord. I pray that you don't take the time we are given here for granted. Earth is temporary, but our time here determines our time in Eternity. We have been given Salvation, and not in any way due to anything we have done to deserve it. God gave us Jesus, his SON, to bear our sin, so we didn't have to. If He loves us that much, can you imagine an eternity with Him?

That's pretty much it for now. I just thought it was time to share. I've been so wrapped up in our life lately with the house and getting to go home. Today reminded me.

Have a great week...more updates with the house changes soon. We're trying to get all moved in, so updates may be sparse. Take care!